Pike

[rude the dude]

Please remember to kill all pike you catch this year   Thanks in advance.   

[9huskies]

Crappie and muskellunge, too. All are invasive species.

[Seamonkey84]

Yes, please all do our parts. Especially in any of our cold water fisheries. Someone you know will have a use for them If you don’t, the eagles always like their share.
I have fun catching these fish too, but most waterways I won’t let one go. Sabattus is a fun place to fish, but I don’t want them to be everywhere like bass are. 
Also don’t forget, in the norther counties, they want all the bass to be pulled too.

[bassin207]

Hey, why not throw em back if you're not going to eat it. No sense in ruining a great pike fishery for the people that like catching them.

Just saying.

[NateD]

Short or electro shocking the entire place, there is nothing you can do.

[Fish2kill]

Hey, why not throw em back if you're not going to eat it. No sense in ruining a great pike fishery for the people that like catching them.

Just saying.

Some folks ruined a lot of great fisheries because THEY liked catching pike. But dont worry there willl be little to no impact although i'll do my part.
 
Does the great pike debate&trials always start this early? Or is it the phase of the moon? Just one of the topics that is argued over every year on here. Just go fishing & be happy & share your experiences with the community.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Hey, why not throw em back if you're not going to eat it. No sense in ruining a great pike fishery for the people that like catching them.

Just saying.

Because they are an invasive species, that’s why. Though there are many other invasived that the state introduced and have regulations for, these fish were all illegally introduced from the start. I agree there May be no going back, but doesn’t mean we should be Promoting them. I’ve caught them in a few places, and released them since it’s really a far gone warm water fishery. But every one I’ve caught in the Sebago watershed has been fed to eagles.

[NateD]

Because they are an invasive species, that’s why. Though there are many other invasived that the state introduced and have regulations for, these fish were all illegally introduced from the start. I agree there May be no going back, but doesn’t mean we should be Promoting them. I’ve caught them in a few places, and released them since it’s really a far gone warm water fishery. But every one I’ve caught in the Sebago watershed has been fed to eagles.

True, certain lakes you may be able to help if it is very early, but I fish Sabattus once a year while visiting a friend and that place has an insane amount of pike and other warm water species.  Can they not coexist? Seems Canada has lots of places that hold pike and trout (judging from youtube videos).

[9huskies]

Every one that we kill means thousands of eggs wont be laid. They won't be eradicated but we can slow their population growth.

[Shrinkage]

Please remember to kill all pike you catch this year   Thanks in advance.   

Sabattus will be ready soon. I usually only hit it up on the derby but if you want to kill some Pike i'm down Rude let me know. I live 5 minutes from the pond.

[chillywillie]

And all browns, rainbows, bass, etc.

You know, because they're not natives either 

[aquarium234]

I love that the invasive trout can stay....but not the scary pike.....lol If you really want their population to go down start sharing pike recipes so people want to keep them. 

[Shrinkage]

I release most everything i catch including Pike but i dont have a problem with anyone keeping or discarding if thats what floats their boat. I know alot of people enjoy the Pike fishery and other species and thats great, to each their own. I just like to fish.  

[Iceassin]

Boy...you guys out east. Bluegill, Crappie, Musky, Pike ? Is there any fish there that isn't invasive? I'll take every one of those you catch. 

[Gunflint]

Boy...you guys out east. Bluegill, Crappie, Musky, Pike ? Is there any fish there that isn't invasive? I'll take every one of those you catch. 

Chubbs....

[eiderz]

There's a place for every species, I have no problem with stinklogs as long as they're restricted to lakes which can support them. Lakes in Maine with strong salmonid fisheries are generally oligotrophic, there just isn't a nutrient base sufficient to support enough baitfish to feed the water wolves. To me what differentiates them from stocked trout is that they don't compete for food, they eat anything and everything that doesn't eat them. Couple their appetite with prolific reproduction rates and they very quickly dominate a lake. Although politics is always lurking in the background, in the context of established IF&W policy I trust the biologists to determine which waterbodies can support which species, and how to manage them. If the determination is to get them out of the North/Western regions then I'm ok with it. I'm not going out of my way to fish for them, but if one jumps on my line the day probably ends badly for him. Same with green and bronze carp.

[woodchip]

bassin207   Pike and perch can over populate a pond or lake fast,  when that happens the food supply drops. and the fish get smaller. If you want bigger fish  all small fish should be kept so we have more bait bigger fish,

[Seamonkey84]

I love that the invasive trout can stay....but not the scary pike.....lol If you really want their population to go down start sharing pike recipes so people want to keep them.

Biggest problem is pike are invasive, as in readily able to reproduce quickly and spread. All the non native trout species are largly supported by stocking, with very little natural reproduction, and in much smaller numbers. Bass were stocked into a few lakes in the southern part of state, bucket bios (aka lazy f*!#s that can’t catch anything else) put them into to places where they can start spreading on their own.
Admittedly, if it weren’t for all these non natives, there wouldn’t be much variety in this state. but having some dick take it upon himself to stock fish without thoughts of what will happen to surrounding waters. At least we don’t see goldfish and koi everywhere we fish lol.

[eiderz]

At least we don’t see goldfish and koi everywhere we fish lol.

Don't give anyone ideas! LOL! Now the great state of CT has declared common carp (goldfish) a gamefish and established C&R only areas where they hold big money tourneys. I admit it's fun to catch 20-30+ pound fish from shore, but now guys are getting a little carried away. In Europe where the carp fishing craze started, they name exceptionally big fish which get caught repeatedly throughout their lives. When one dies the fish gets a memorial service. Really.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11745089/End-of-the-line-for-giant-carp-Two-Tone-after-body-rejected-by-Natural-History-Museum.html

[Seamonkey84]

Don't give anyone ideas! LOL! Now the great state of CT has declared common carp (goldfish) a gamefish and established C&R only areas where they hold big money tourneys. I admit it's fun to catch 20-30+ pound fish from shore, but now guys are getting a little carried away. In Europe where the carp fishing craze started, they name exceptionally big fish which get caught repeatedly throughout their lives. When one dies the fish gets a memorial service. Really.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11745089/End-of-the-line-for-giant-carp-Two-Tone-after-body-rejected-by-Natural-History-Museum.html

Oh I’m aware of carp craze in Europe lol. Fly fishing for carp is getting popular in some places in the USA too

[eiderz]

We catch them on fly rods in the spring. I think it's spawning time, they move into shallow bays by the hundreds and they'll suck a shrimp imitation right up.

[bassin207]

I'm completely against spreading any fish, including pike, around to other bodies of water. However, Maine has many lakes and ponds with an established population of trophy pike that people enjoy fishing for. I can't count how many times I've gone to Sabattus only to see hundreds of Pike of all sizes laying dead and unutilized on the ice. If you want to take these fish, why not research some ways to enjoy the meat and make use of the animal. Kill policies may work on small bodies of water with a VERY new population of fish, however, once there is an established population of pike it's probably too late. Just look at the Belgrades and Sabattus where literally hundreds of pike are taken per weekend with little to no impact on population. The mentality that the State has adopted to "kill every one you catch" is also ironic considering the amount of money that the pike fishery brings into the state (example: the Sabattus tournament with thousands of participants annually). This parallels Maine's relationship with bass fishing, although some progress is being made to protect the fishery. Bear in mind, both of these fisheries have flourished despite a lack of investment in management from the State.

Just imagine the fishery and boost to the economy that could be gained if half the time and money that is devoted to producing 12 inch stocked trout was instead allocated to these "invasive species."

Again, I'm not saying that we should go dump bass and pike into Rangely Lake, I just think that a better management plan than "kill every fish that's labeled as an invasive that's ever caught in any lake" should be adopted.

[woodchip]

Sabattus fish are full of heavy metals. The more fish that are caught and fed to the eagles, crows,Ravens the cleaner the lake will be over a long period.

[woodchip]

Putting a limit on White Perch in Sabattus was a very backward move!!!

[esox_xtm]

I was just thinking about some popcorn. This seems like a good place...



Carry on!

[woodchip]

Popcorn does not make good bait,

[Dickbakers]

Pike are super eating.  Don,t waste them on the ice.   Catch as many as you can and take them home for super fish fry.
I was born in Maine grew up eating tongue.  Living on the Conn.
River I find that pike taste a lot better.
Dick

[NateD]

Sabattus fish are full of heavy metals. The more fish that are caught and fed to the eagles, crows,Ravens the cleaner the lake will be over a long period.

Were there studies done about this?

[Seamonkey84]

Idk about sabbattus in, as there’s no fish consumption advisory for that lake. but in general, pike would have a lot more built up contamination than other fish.

[jacksmelt71]

funny how people perceive one fish invasive but not another. togue were native to long lake here in the FRC yet they were allowed to die of and non native ll salmon and smelts were stocked. should have seen the look on the bios face when i suggested to put  native togue back in long lake! thought his head would explode! togue are looked down upon in s, maine but the only time they ever got out of control up here is back on the early 2000;s when the state dumped like 7000 in eagle and st. froid. why can't the reintroduce a limited amount back into long? because it doesn't fit their agenda! i like ll salmon but just making a point.